The wilderness of Haleakala National Park on the Hawaiian island of Maui may be a staggeringly massive 24,719 acres, but it's a tiny parking lot and visitor center at the volcano's crater rim that attracts hundreds of visitors every day...and all before dawn. Sunrise from Haleakalā is one of the "must-dos" for visitors to Maui, and that popularity has put pressures on crowd management and maintenance of the fragile ecosystem around the summit, which tops out at an altitude of 10,023 feet. A new reservations system and fee now in place hopes to improve the sunrise viewing experience, which Mark Twain once called the "sublimest spectacle" he'd ever seen.

The restriction went into effect February 1, 2017 for visitors in personal or rental vehicles, who will now need to make reservations in advance at Recreation.gov. Not available on-site, this system mandates a payment of $1.50 per car for a guaranteed slot on any given day, between the hours of 3 a.m. and 7 a.m., with slots available 60 days in advance. Max capacity is set as 150 cars and a quick check reveals that already sunrise reservations have sold out until February 10, and dates beyond are going fast. Trust us, it's worth it.

The National Park Service website details the other various entry fees for the park, which are in effect no matter the time of day. They range from $20 per car (admitting everyone inside the car) to $10 per person without a car, such as hikers and bicyclists, and are good for a period of three days. The new $1.50 sunrise reservation fee only applies to vehicles, but if you'd rather not bother with the details, tours like the "Sunrise Special" from Haleakalā Bike Company begin with a sunrise viewing and conclude with a 23-mile bike ride down swerving roads and through the microclimates of the volcano's slopes.

If you're traveling to Maui from the mainland, one of the best tips for catching the Haleakalā sunrise is to go the morning of your first full day on the island. That way you're taking advantage of still being several timezones ahead of Hawaii; you'll probably wake up before dawn anyway. And, for visitors who'd rather sleep in or don't manage a reservation, there's always the webcam.

And Haleakalā isn't the only national park trying to strike a balance between giving guests the opportunity to experience nature up close while also trying to prevent overcrowding. America's national parks hit an all-time attendance high in 2016 thanks to the many free days during its centennial year, and some parks—like Utah's Zion—faced record attendance even during the off season.